Does anyone else dislike where they grew up?

[ferpie]

I was born and raised in the South Wales valleys (Aberdare). My family are from there and still live in the area.

We lived in a very working class community where unfortunately lots of fathers had lost their jobs when the pits closed. There was a lot of poverty and hopelessness.

I was one of the few middle class kids at my state comp and as I was academically gifted, I stuck out like a sore thumb. Never felt like I belonged and had few friends.

I couldn’t wait to leave the area and left for university and as an adult have never been back for much more than a few days before I am crawling up the walls to leave.

Is it normal to dislike where you grew up? An area you should consider “home”?

My kids even ask why granny lives where she does and ask when they’re going back to Central London.

I grew up in central London (SW1) and couldn't wait to leave. I'm not embarrassed by it, I just never really felt at home there. Ironically I went to university in The Valleys @ferpie! I've settled in Yorkshire as a grown up now, and could imagine living anywhere else. I only ever go to London for work.

Gosh! Maybe it’s just wanting the opposite of what you have?!

I grew up in a commuter town where there were very rich people and very poor people and hardly anyone in between. Hated it, so much bitterness and resentment on both sides, plenty of racism, nothing cultural to do just the chain pubs (either expensively soulless or borderline dangerous).

No, I love where I'm from - a relatively affluent part of a Northern city. Love the city as a whole tbh (although obviously there are parts of which are not as nice as others!). Moved away for a few years for uni and then came back and settled back here. I live a few minutes walk away from my DPs and both my siblings.

I grew up in South London. It was nice but I wouldn't want to live there now.

Where I grew up was fine. West Country, fairly small village. As a teenager it was a bit dull as transport is so poor. I went off to university, but had to return afterwards to look after an ageing relative. I didn’t expect to stay here, but can’t move away until the children have finished their exams. It’s alright. I refuse ever to live in a small village again, though. I live in a small town, and like Tesco Metro, and the railway.

I grew up in SW London z2/3, it was so different then to now but I don’t dislike it. Live z3/4 now, couldn’t imagine living anywhere else really.

I'm from rural Lincolnshire and absolutely could not wait to leave. I went to university in a big city at 18 and then to my first job in London.

My experience is that I loved where I lived as a kid, but when I got to my teenage years I was desperate to leave and stretch my wings.

Now I've retired back to the area. I love it, the connections I have there and the feeling of being my real self in my proper home.

I grew up in poverty I don’t wish to go back,but I give it no thought.

Commuter town that is getting ever more deprived and depressing. No real community, I don't feel safe at night there, the town centre is a no go area now, and the accent is...yeah. It's become increasingly racist and run down with more and more deprivation evident as the years have gone by.

An ex boyfriend used to say he could smell the town when he got off the train. I didn't understand it at the time, but, as the years have passed I came to understand what he meant.

I worry about my parents living there all the time, but they are born and bred there and refuse to leave.

We visit and I can't wait to leave. It couldn't be any more different than where I live now.

Same as you OP. Poor deprived area, didn’t fit in as I liked learning and school. Looking back, there were plenty of smart kids failed by our school and their environment.

I hated the place I grew up in so much that aged 18 I left not just the area but the whole country, and rarely go back (and never will at all once my mother dies, she's the only reason I ever go back).

I dislike it, very dull part of suburban London, though quite pretty. Also don't have particularly nice memories of growing up there, and am not in touch with any school friends.

I'm glad my parents have moved away from there now, so I have no reason to ever go there again.

I grew up in a very affluent area - I haven’t been back in 20+ years because honestly, it’s so lovely that I can’t bear it!

My parents moved us all mid-childhood to the grimmest town imaginable (for a job) and honestly when my parents die I will never, ever go back. I hate it. It is absolutely horrible.

I didn’t speak like anyone else in the school, was horribly bullied and truly, the schools were shit, and it was too rural to go to another one. I still can’t believe they moved us there.

I grew up in N Ireland. I'm still fond of it, but it is so... provincial, even more so back then. I got the hell out and don't anticipate ever going back.

Yes. I couldn't wait to leave. Moved 100 miles away. Then moved abroad

I came back to the valleys to settle down and have children in my late 20s because I value being close to my family. I hope my children go and explore the world but I hope they don’t come back with the attitude you have OP.

Where did you go and explore? I’m sure they won’t 😊

I grew up on the Hertfordshire Cambridgeshire border. Moved away 25 years ago and revisit occasionally to see family.

I hate it, it’s overpriced, superficial, very wealthy but without any real substance. Villages are pretty but the countryside is bland.

Same, I was born in the valleys and moved back here after a few years of city life. My husband grew up in a city and really appreciates the sense of community. It's also really helpful having family nearby.

I grew up in a deprived area and hated it. We lived in a nicer area that was more middle class, but the nearby towns themselves were very run down and dodgy. Public transport was terrible and the more interesting places to go either needed a car or were an hour on the bus. Locally there wasn't anything to do except wander around the run down towns.

The only good thing was how easy it was to get to London (if you could get to the station).

My parents moved away a couple of years ago and I'll never go back. I don't think any of the friends I had at school stayed in the area.

I grew up in Norfolk (Norwich, but from a North Norfolk farming family.) I loved growing up where I did, had a great childhood, travelled and went to uni, then had a very happy couple of years there as a young adult. My friends all moved away and spread their wings, but we all enjoy coming back, preferably altogether, and I feel a deep sense of belonging to that part of the world. There were not the work opportunities for DH or I to make a life there but I love visiting with my children, especially spending time on
thd North Norfolk coast, showing them cottages where grandparents were born and visiting extended family. They look forward to going and they’ve even both considered studying there.

I’m the same as you OP, grew up as a middle class kid in a pit village, I couldn’t get out fast enough and I haven’t been back in 10 years, my parents come to visit me instead.

There were no opportunities there unless you wanted to work in a factory or a call centre.